President Donald Trump joked that his political career could end after he told a female reporter she was beautiful and wished there were more reporters like her.
The awkward scene took place in the Oval Office on Friday as a peace deal facilitated by the U.S. was signed by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, with the aim of ending the decades-long, deadly fighting in eastern Congo.
As the signing ceremony began, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt invited reporter and “friend” Hariana Veras to address the press and attendees in the room, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the foreign ministers from the two African nations.
Veras, a native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo who covers the White House, told Trump what she had seen on the ground in the DRC upon news of the peace agreement.
“I saw hope. They have hope now for a better day in Congo,” she said, adding that Congo’s President Felix Tshiseked wanted to nominate Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize.
“So beautifully stated,” Trump replied, before telling Veras she was also “beautiful”.
“I’m not allowed to say that,” he joked. “You know that could be the end of my political career, but you are beautiful—and you’re beautiful inside. I wish I had more reporters like you.”
The lighthearted scene came during an otherwise serious signing ceremony to mark an agreement between Rwanda and the DRC after decades of bloodshed.
The deal has been touted as an important step toward peace in the Central African nation of Congo, where conflict with more than 100 armed groups has killed millions of people since the 1990s.
The conflict has sparked a humanitarian crisis and widespread displacement in eastern DRC, where a militia allegedly backed by Rwanda occupies large pieces of land.
“So we’re here today to celebrate a glorious triumph, and that’s what it is, for the cause of peace,” said Trump, who noted that he would be “putting a lot of pressure” on both sides to honor the agreement.
“This is a long time waiting. The signing of a historic peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda. The conflict has continued, and it’s been going on for many, many years.”
The deal has been dubbed the Washington Accord—although Trump joked that it should have been called the “Trump Accord.”
Under the agreement, the U.S. will also get access to the DRC’s deposits of metals and minerals, such as gold, lithium, and copper.
Trump took credit on Friday not just for the Washington Accord, but also for his role in other foreign conflicts.
“In a few short months, we’ve now achieved peace between India and Pakistan, India and Iran, and the DRC and Rwanda, and a couple of others, also,” he said.
